This restaurant does NOT deserve the single one star review it has. U Katsu is spectacular! The food is great, and the service is even better. David and his staff are attentive and kind. I can't wait to see this spot succeed. DO NOT LISTEN to Laurie N. as she clearly does not understand what it's like to be in the starting phases of a successful restaurant... Laurie N, if you're reading this, I genuinely hope U Katsu never has to deal with a customer as unpleasant as you again. For someone who claims to know exactly what katsu is "supposed" to taste like, it's interesting that you're not contributing anything positive or helpful to the community. read more

The tenderloin is cooked perfectly and it js even better when uncut. The service was excellent and the staff were very friendly.

My kid goes to a taekwondo studio nearby, so I've been seeing this place while passing by for a while. It opened about a month ago, and we finally tried it today. The tonkatsu was seriously delicious, and the chicken katsu was amazing too. We also ordered soba and the Crunch Roll -- and honestly, the Crunch Roll was insanely good. Probably one of the best rolls I've had in a long time. The kids had the yuzu drink, and I had the matcha yuzu drink. No joke, it tasted even better than drinks from some nearby boba places. Everything we tried was great, the food didn't feel greasy, and you can tell they really care about quality. Definitely a spot I'd highly recommend read more

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If you're a fan of katsu you'll like this place as they have a variety of choices (pork, chicken, beef, cheese) including curry ones. Comes as a bento or donburi. Katsu is lightly breaded, crispy on the outside juicy on the inside, and the best part it's not oily. They also serve other dishes such as udon, soba, sushi rolls and more. Order using the tablet on the table, but you need to pay at the cashier afterwards. Modern, clean and bright. For those familiar with the area, this is the spot where Pick Up Stix used to be across from McDonald. read more

Had a katsu don and it was amazing!!! Also got a chicken katsu bento and we ate everything! Loved the small container of pickled daikon. On our second visit we got two katsu plates and they were gone in minutes!!! read more

U Katsu - As you can tell, it was amazing - Japanese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

U Katsu is a new Japanese restaurant in Foothill Ranch, where Pick-Up Stix used to be. I'd consider it's in its soft opening period as it was first opened in April. Guests can order food using the kiosk mounted on each table. I suspect there is only one person in the kitchen preparing food because it takes some times before the food comes out. While I used the kiosk to order food, it is not equipped to process payment so I had to go to the cashier station to pay. It's a family owned/operated joint. Dave and Christine are welcoming. It seems to me this is their first time running a restaurant. There is no sign on the door for their hours. There is a nervous energy when they engage guests Food here are tasty. Katsu is crunchy, not oily. Crunchy roll is good too. I hope this joint will flourish so there is another place to go in this area. I plan to come back in a month to see how things go. read more

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Solid new katsu spot in Lake Forest. I got a cheese katsu and it was nicely fried, crispy, and was filling. Other than that it was pretty standard for a Katsu compared to other places in Irvine. It was also served with miso soup, rice and a salad for 18.99. I wish there was more katsu sauce and a curry option down the line. Interior is pretty but kinda small. It seems like self seat and order with a tablet on the table, but I think they didn't have a hostess or dedicated waiter for seating yet. It got busy when I came on a Wednesday evening and my order took awhile. They're still in the opening phase and seemed understaffed so I'm understanding of that. Hopefully they can get the kinks out and staff more. Give it a shot if you're in the mood! read more

U Katsu - Inside - Japanese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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I visited here for lunch during their soft opening. Tonkatsu (pork katsu) is one of my very favorite meals so I was excited to see this place open in my neighborhood. It's located in a large plaza in Foothill Ranch so there's plenty of parking. I sat at a table (there are maybe a dozen) and ordered from a touchscreen that every table has. There were many variations of both pork and chicken katsu as far as size and sides. I decided on pork katsu with sides of salad and rice, which also comes with miso soup. Canned sodas are available, and I got a Coke, but I would have been fine with the pitcher of water set at my table. My food was delivered to my table in less than 10 minutes. The pork katsu was excellent, very delicious. The panko crust was perfectly crunchy and the pork tender and flavorful, obviously good quality. It wasn't oily at all. The presentation was a bit unusual as katsu is usually cut into thin slices but this was served in small chunks. No matter, it tasted wonderful. I'm a sauce guy and am critical of katsu sauce but this homemade katsu sauce is the best I've tasted outside of Japan. The accompanying salad was fresh and vibrant and the rice was fine. I even thought the miso soup was pretty tasty, this from a guy who isn't usually all that thrilled with miso soup. There was a small banchan of some sort of radish that was good too. Chopsticks were provided - I'm not sure if they have utensils if using chopsticks isn't in your skill set. Service was friendly and attentive and the décor is simple yet tasteful; I like their lighting. I'm glad to have a place nearby that serves quality katsu plates. read more

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Quite good. Went today during their Soft Opening. We were greeted politely and sat down. Ordering is all done at a screen on your table. The restaurant is spotlessly clean. We started with the garlic edamame. This was easily the best I've ever had. Very fresh and had a little kick to it. For entrees we ordered chicken katsu and I had to try the cheese katsu as I've never had that dish before. We had a choice of sides and we both picked California rolls. Miso soup comes with it. I chose the add on curry as I prefer that over sweet katsu sauce. Everything came out very well prepared and presentation excellent. The California roll was fresh. We shared to do comparisons. The chicken katsu was on spec. Krispy outside and juicy inside. My cheese katsu was well prepared and interesting. I probably won't have that again but that's only my preference. Overall, a very good experience. Price point is on the higher side but the quality balances out. We will return. Note, their online ordering is currently not taking orders while they are doing their soft opening. Service is walk in only. read more

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Soba was great for a summer day. The beef katsu was with ground beef.... Not worth it for my taste. Better go with the pork. Service was slow for a small shop during lunch. Curry was more towards Korean curry than Japanese curry. read more

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It's so great to get another Mom and Pop Japanese Katsu restaurant here in Foothill Ranch. The prices are just right and the food is even better than I thought. Ordered a Teriyaki Chicken Bowl that was loaded with chicken and seasoned very well as well as a Chicken Curry Udon bowl with curry made in house! I really hope this place stays as it definitely feels like a delicious, cozy, home cooked meal. Definitely coming back here! read more

It's so nice to have an authentic and excellent katsu (cutlet) restaurant in Foothill Ranch! The food is top notch. They do a great job with the koromo (breading) which is arguably the most important part of a katsu! Cabbage is finely sliced, and the rice is very good. Service is also excellent. The restaurant has a clean modern feel. Besides katsu, they had udon noodles and rice bowls and appetizers. read more

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Great experience at U Katsu! It was my first time but I will definitely be back. I ordered a couple of different things to try and they were all delicious: Pork Katsu Combination with cold soba: Highly recommend. The Katsu was so tender and juicy with a perfectly crisp exterior. Drinks: The matcha they used was really good quality in the matcha latte, and the sparkling yuzu drink had a very refreshing, strong citrusy taste. I want to try the strawberry matcha next. Bulgogi Udon: My son ate his whole bowl and he's a really picky eater. Apparently the noodles are made in house. Portions were generous and pricing was very reasonable. It's also very family friendly. Service was quick and they came by multiple times to refill water. Will be back. read more

I'm so happy this place is doing very well. I watched eagerly as this new restaurant got itself together and opened. The owner is so nice and the staff are so pleasant. I love Katsu and was hoping that this place didn't disappoint. I was so pleased with my experience. The chicken katsu was so flavorful, not greasy at all, and it's all white clean meat. The crunch roll and the California roll taste very fresh and very clean as well. This place is going to be my new go to! read more

This place absolutely deserves 5 stars. We came in and were immediately taken care of--great service from start to finish, and they even surprised us with a free drink, which was a really nice touch. We ordered the chicken and pork katsu combo, and everything was on point. The katsu was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and perfectly cooked. It came with miso soup plus our choice of udon soup and a California roll, which made it feel like a full, well-rounded meal. We also got the garlic edamame, and honestly, that alone is worth coming back for. I'm glad Foothill Ranch finally has a yummy place to get katsu. Overall, great food, generous portions, and excellent service. David, the owner, was very helpful and welcoming. We will be back! read more

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Yummy food and very personable staff! Clean and modern ambiance. One of my new fav neighborhood restaurants!

Ukatsu is a great new addition to Foothill Ranch. The service was excellent, and everything we ordered was really good. The pork tenderloin was crispy, flavorful, and cooked perfectly, and the sushi was fresh and delicious. Overall, it was a great experience, and I'd definitely recommend checking this place out. read more

U Katsu - Katsu Pork Tenderloin and Cold Soba - Japanese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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Really enjoyed our meal! We ordered the chicken katsu, pork loin katsu, California roll, and soba noodles, and everything was very good. The chicken katsu was especially juicy, and even our picky toddler ate it. The pork loin katsu was great too, and we also really liked the California roll and soba noodles. The restaurant was very clean, and the staff was friendly and attentive. We'll definitely be back! read more

UKatsu was fantastic! The service was excellent, the food was delicious, and the whole experience was amazing. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

U Katsu - Katsu pork combo with cold udon - Japanese Near Me - Lake Forest, California

I got lucky finding this place during my trip to Irvine. Katsu is one of my favorite dishes, but unfortunately there aren't any great katsu spots near where I live. This place was on par with some of the best katsu I've had in Japan and Korea -- perfectly crispy crust with tender, juicy, flavorful meat cooked just right. The owners also seemed incredibly friendly and welcoming. I especially recommend this place for families with kids. Kids absolutely love katsu -- mine certainly did. If your kids haven't been introduced to katsu yet, this is the perfect place to start. I only wish I could go back again in the near future. read more

Small place that took over pick up stick. Came in the 3rd day of opening. The breading on the Katsu is really really good. One of the best chicken katsu places in Orange County - I would say even better than Hako (at least the katsu chicken and curry sauce, and this place has no waiting as not busy yet). Soba noodles were also refreshing. Hopefully people come and try it out as it is a legit place to eat in foothill ranch. Many restaurants don't make it in the area (not enough people). Not fancy, small, and very simple but good food. A little pricey $15-20 per person. read more

Excellent food and service, definitely going back!!! The katsu was cooked perfectly and a very generous portion

The food is amazing, the people are wonderful. They are brand new and are working on their processes, so please be patient. It will be even better once they get online ordering. I have been there three times in the past two weeks. I always get the Katsudon and my wife gets chicken katsu. Both are delicious and we would highly recommend. read more

The food is comparable to Hako in Irvine but to be honest, Hako has a better value. Their portion size is small compared to Hako for the same price. The food was not any better in terms of taste or quality so if I had to go for value for the money I would prefer Hako. Lastly, they need to hire people ASAP. We waited 1 hour for our food, if they don't hire people soon it would be better to door dash from Hako. read more

Friendly staff. Very tasty food. Happy to have this place nearby. Both the KatsuDon and tuna roll was excellent quality. Udon was great too! Will be back! read more

The best Katsu I have had in a long time, very authentic tasting and I have had Katsu in Japan.

The service is terrible. No place settings on the tables. They serve water in paper cups. The food was lackluster. If you know what Katsu really tastes like, ordering from here is a major disappointment. read more

i got the chicken katsu combo!! this was so delicious and crispy and i loved the pickle daikon that came with it. staff were so so nice and the wait wasn't long at all. definitely coming back for their matcha lattes next week!! read more

U Katsu - chicken katsu combo - Japanese Near Me - Lake Forest, California